Cardinal Timothy Dolan traveled to Pleasant Valley in Dutchess County on Saturday, November 9, to celebrate an evening vigil Mass and install lay acolyte James Patrick Donick.

A lay acolyte is an all-purpose altar server who may serve during Mass, distribute communion, instruct other altar servers, and participate in the opening and closing processions. Pope Francis established the lay ministries of acolyte, catechist, and lector to encourage greater lay involvement in church work and evangelization. Both women and men are eligible to participate in all three ministries.

James Patrick Donick became one of, if not the first, lay acolytes installed in the Archdiocese of New York, Cardinal Dolan noted. “I’ve never done this before!” he exclaimed at one point during the installation ceremony at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church. 

“It sure is good to be with you here. Thank you for the invitation of your patron saint on November 13,” Cardinal Dolan said in his opening remarks. The Mass coincided with the feast day of St. Stanislaus Kostka, the church’s patron saint. 

In his homily, Cardinal Dolan said, “James Patrick, it’s an honor to install you as an acolyte tonight.” He also recognized Father Karl Lindblad, pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka, in honor of Veterans Day. Father Lindblad served as a military chaplain for years and was the first Navy chaplain to arrive at Ground Zero following 9/11.

Following the homily, Cardinal Dolan formally installed Donick as a lay acolyte. Donick had served at the Mass since its beginning and resumed his duties after the installation was complete.

Along with Cardinal Dolan and Father Lindblad, the Mass was concelebrated by Father Eric Andrews, CSP of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Manhattan, who was raised in the Pleasant Valley parish. About 300 people attended.

For Donick, the choice to become an acolyte was obvious. “I’ve done all of these things all my life,” he said, referring to altar service, lectoring, distributing communion, and teaching altar servers. In the last two years, he has trained almost 20 new altar servers for St. Stanislaus Kostka, which he cited as his primary motivation for becoming an acolyte. “Some of them are about the age when I started. I want them to understand that they can do this their whole life,” Donick said.

The Mass was followed by the first evening of two days of church activities in celebration of their patron saint’s feast.